:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71847905/1455121185.0.jpg "49ers-Seahawks predictions: Early pick against the spread for 2023 NFL Wild Card Round matchup")
The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks will open the Wild Card Weekend on Saturday afternoon from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. ET and will air on FOX.
San Francisco (13-4) claimed the No. 2 seed in the NFC and continues to operate as one of the best teams in the NFL no matter who lines up at quarterback. Jimmy Garoppolo replaced an injured Trey Lance, and rookie seventh round draft pick Brock Purdy joined the party after the top two quarterbacks went down. The 49ers reached the NFC Championship in two of the last three seasons.
Seattle (9-8) did not see much of a regression like had been expected when the Seahawks unloaded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. Pete Carroll went into Week 1 with Geno Smith as the starting quarterback, and he put together a spectacular regular season out of nowhere in Year 10 in the NFL. Seattle clinched a spot in the playoffs with an overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams and the Green Bay Packers loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 18.
Opening point spread: 49ers -9.5
Opening point total: 43.5
Opening moneyline: 49ers -460, Seahawks +370
Early pick ATS: 49ers -9.5
The Seahawks are in trouble against one of the top rushing offenses in the NFL, and that's going to be the difference in this game. The 49ers run the ball on 48.1% of snaps, which is the seventh highest rate in the league, and they'll face a Seattle D that ranks 26th in yards per rush attempt (4.9). Christian McCaffrey hasn't played in the playoffs since his rookie season in 2017, and he should be fired up for a big-time performance on Saturday afternoon.